I have been battling this in my silver leaf dogwoods for three years, getting worse each year. I have tried every product from the shelves and home organic remedies with no avail. Now it has spread to one of my Weigalas. I am at my wits end and about to give up. I don't mind replacing the dogwood shrubs because at this point they look half dead anyway but it breaks my heart to lose the Weigala because it was one of my favorites. If I cut it down to almost nothing would it start to grow back or should I have done that in the fall?. I know it will still have the disease but It might be easier to get under control while it is smaller and growing back.

Anthracnose is very difficult if not impossible to control.....it is really no threat to your plant unless it gets on the twigs or stems....then you will get die back on those branches.I know you are concerned about your weigelia, but as I said it will not kill your shrub, just make it unsightly like the leaves on your dogwood.You can help deter the re infection by gathering up the dead leaves and clean up in the fall....but since the fungus spores can travel on the wind from neighbouring plants, like I said....it is impossible to control or stop its spread......Every plant has its enemies, be it insects or disease.....its part of nature.

The dogwoods are already so unsightly from this that they are not worth keeping, The weigelia is starting look that way, Could I cut it down to where it looks less unsightly since for some reason it seems to be more on the top. Would new shoots start or should I have done that in the fall.. Thanks for the advice.

You can prune the weigelia back now (or after it flowers).....but be aware that the new growth will probably be infected by anthracnose later in the summer and look like what you have now on the leaves.

Thanks Ian...looks like I am pulling it all out an replanting something not susceptible. Everything looks half dead and as I said in the first post I have tried everything to control it without luck...Oh well on the bright side...a trip the my nearby garden centre!!!